Controlling means for looms.



No. 805,350. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905. W. P. DRAPER & G. P. ROPER. CONTROLLING MEANS FOR LOOMS,

APPLIUATION FILED MAR.6, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 805,350. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

' W. F. DRAPER & c. P. ROPER.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED HABHG, 1905.

4 SHEETSSHBET 3.

Q I (2 55' I) 11 66, 665585;, fax/eneor as, (d amZesm vew N0. 805,350. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905. W. F. DRAPER & C. F. ROPER.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR LOOMS. APPLICATION FILED mum, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM F. DRAPER AND PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ROPER, OF HOPEDALE, MASSA- OHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO- DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MAS- SAOHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed March 6, 1905. Serial No. 248,376.

1'0 all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM F. DRAPER and CHARLES F. RornR, citizens of the United States, and residents of Hopedale, county of WVorcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Controlling Means for Looms, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

In the ordinary type of loom the protector mechanism performs two functions when called into operation by failure of the shuttle to box properly, viz: It throws off the power and also stops the forward movement of the lay, so that the loom bangs off, due directly to the cooperation of the usual dagger on the protector rock-shaft and the frog. Generally speaking, the mechanism must be so set or adjusted that the dagger will be raised sufficiently to clear the frog when the crank-shaft is about at bottom center, (the raising of the dagger being due to the action of the shuttle when properly boxed upon the binder,) and if the shuttle is picked at top center,'as is customary, the shuttle has only one-half of a revolution of the crank-shaft in which to travel through the shed and enter the opposite shuttle-box far enough to raise the dagger for the requisite clearance. In a more recent form of loom, technically termed the antibang type, the warps are positively slackened when the shuttle is improperly boxed, and the lay is permitted to come to rest gradually without a sudden shock, the frog being arranged to effect release of the shipper; but the frog does not act to stop the lay as it reaches front center. A loom of this type is shown in United States Patent to (J. F. Roper, No. 731,622, dated June 23, 1903; but in such looms approximately the same time is allowed for the flight of the shuttle into the opposite box and for the raising of the dagger to pass over the frog when the shuttle is boxed. It often happens that the shuttle will altogether clear the shed and enter part way into the box, but not far enough to raise the dagger above the frog, and the loom will bang off if 'of the ordinary type or will effect loom stoppage more gradually in the antibang type, when, as a matter of fact, there is no necessity therefor in either casethat is, so far as the picking of the shuttle is concerned the loom could continue to run, and after a few picks the shuttle would regain its proper throw; but owing to the limited time forthe flight of the shuttle are usually required to get the loom into proper running order again.

Our present invention has for its object the production of means for increasing the time for the shuttle to reach its final position in the shuttle-box, whereby by virtue of greater elasticity of operation or increased leeway in the action of the protector mechanism the stoppage of the loom through inexact boxing of the shuttle is reduced to a minimum and is only eflected when absolutely necessary.

In actual practice a loom embodying our present invention will run for weeks ata time without any stoppages due to inexact boxing of the shuttle, although the warp would be slackened occasionally, as will be explained hereinafter.

We have herein shown our invention applied to a loom provided with means to prevent Warp breakage when the shuttle is caught in the shed, one embodiment of our invention being applied to a loom of the antibang type, hereinbefore referred to, and in a modification we show different means for obviating warp breakage.

Briefly stated, the operation of a loom equipped with our invention is as follows: So long as the shuttle is boxing properly the dagger of the protector mechanism will be raised the proper clearance amount on each pick and the loom will run normally. If,

however, for any cause the shuttle is slow in operation of the dagger and frog normally inoperative means are rendered operative automatically to prevent any warp breakage, such means in the antibang type of loom causing a slackening of the warp. The shutthe frog.

tle may not have completed its flight at the instant the dagger engages the frog, and in such case the shuttle can continue on into the box, opening the binder, which latter is not subjected to pressure by cooperation of the dagger and frog. Such opening of the binder renders inoperative means which would if operative effect the stoppage of the loom, and the loom will pick on top center. If on the pick the shuttle is boxed on the opposite side, the loom will continue to run, although the means for preventing warp breakage has operated, such means automatically restoring the warp tension. On the other hand, if the shuttle has not reached a predetermined point in the shuttle-box after the dagger has struck the frog then the means to effect stoppage of the loom will act at about top center, releasing the shipper and stopping the loom. The predetermined point to be reached by the shuttle is such a one that outside thereof subsequent operation of the picking mechanism cannot act with sufficient force upon the shuttle to cause it to regain its proper throw, and manifestly if this safety-point is not reached the loom should be and is stopped. As a matter of fact, the shuttle can in our present invention fail to reach the theoretically-proper position in the shuttle-box by as much as two inches, say, without requiring stoppage of the loom.

The various novel features of our invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a left-hand side elevation of a suificient portion of a loom of the antibang type to be understood with one embodiment of our invention applied thereto, the parts being shown in normal position when the loom is running properly. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail, in side elevation, of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, the lay being shown in full lines at back center with the shuttle boxed, so that the dagger will clear the frog, and in dotted lines on its backward stroke, the shuttle having failed to get far enough into the box, so that the dagger isjust about to cause the release of the shipper. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the frog and the shipper-releasing means in normal position. Fig. L is a detail, partly broken out, of a part of the shipper-releasing means. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2. but with a portion of the shipper-releasing means broken out to show the frog more clearly, the dagger being raised into clearance position. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the dagger and frog in cooperation and illustrating the structure of the frog whereby pressure on the binder is eliminated when the dagger cooperates with Fig. 7 is a left-hand side elevation of amodified form of our invention, the loom being provided wlth different means for preventing warp breakage should the shuttle stop in the shed; and Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the lay forward in full lines and in dotted lines illustrating the operation of the means for preventing warp breakage.

We have shown our invention in Fig. 1 as applied to an antibang-loom such as shown in Patent N 0. 731,622, hereinbefore referred to, and the lay A breast-beam A having the usual notched holding-plate N for the shipper L, and the dagger (Z on the rock-shaft (Z, with the binder-finger d secured to the rockshaft and cooperating with the binder (Z (said dagger, rock-shaft, and binder-finger, with the frog, constituting the protector mechanism,) may be and are all substantially as in said patent. The frog structure is different, however, as will be described, and the frog when actuated through failure of the dagger to clear it does not operate to throw off the power, other means being provided for that purpose. The warp-beam B, having an attached gear B and the actuating mechanism therefor, controlling the let-off, may be substantially as in said patent.

Referring to Fig. 1, the rock-shaft on, provided with rigid arms at to support a controlling rock-shaft N extended across the loom, the whip-roll WV, mounted in the rearwardlyextended arms on, loosely fulcrumed on shaft m, the locking members on", each secured to or forming part of one of the arms m, the cooperating locking members of, fast on rockshaft N and each having a roll (not shown) to enter a cam-slot in the opposite member 172*, and the upturned arm 12 fast on the rockshaft N and pivotally connected with one end of a link a, may be and are all substantially as in said Patent No. 731,622 and operate as therein set forth. The forward end of the link is pivotally connected at n with the frog 1, so that forward movement of the latter will pull the link forward and turn the rockshaft N in the direction of arrow 100, unlocking the whip-roll and positively depressing it, slackening the warps to such an extent that as the lay heats up the shuttle cannot tear or strain the warps, even if caught in the shed. The frog 1 is free to slide forward and herein has no control over the means for throwing .065 the power; but the lay can move up to and past front center without interference by the frog, and under certain circumstances the loom will continue to run even though the tension of the warps has been slackened temporarily. The frog 1 has guide-ears 2 for the frog-lift 3, which is mounted onthe frog between the ears and is adapted to tilt about the rear upper edge 4; of a recess 5 in the frog, (see Fig. 6,) the frog-lift having a rearward extension 6, beveled at its rear end at 7. An upturned projection or shoulder 8 is formed on the frog-lift above the fulcrum 4, and when the shuttle is properly boxed the point of the dagger cl" is raised sufiiciently to clear the shoulder as the lay heats up, as shown in Fig.

5. If the shuttle fails to fully enter the box, the dagger will not be raised far enough to clear the'shoulder 8 as the lay beats up, and the dagger will engage the shoulder and tilt the frog-lift on its fulcrum 4 into the position shown in Fig. 6. Such tilting moves the end 7 of the extension 6 into the path of a notched hunter 9 on the lay-sword, as herein shown, and at the same time the shoulder 8 is so positioned that the point of the dagger will ride up and over it as the extension and bunter engage. InFig. 6 this position of the parts is shown, the dagger being just about to slide over the top of the shoulder, thereby reducing the pressure on the binder and relieving the shuttle from binder-pressure, the continued forward movement of the lay acting, through the bunter 9 and extension 6, to slide the frog forward. Through the link 17. the warp tension controlling instrumentality is operated to slacken the warps, so that when the lay reaches front center there will be no warp breakage even should the shuttle have stopped in the shed. If the shuttle has stopped in the shed or has stopped at such a point in its flight that the picker P cannot cooperate therewith on the next pick, the loom should be stopped, and we have made provision for releasing the shipper, aswill be described. On the other hand,the shuttle at the time the dagger struck the shoulder of the frog-lift may not have finished its flight, and if not it may continue on into the box far enough to be engaged by the picker and thrown when the lay reaches top center, and in that case there is no necessity for stopping the loom, for aftera few picks the shuttle will regain its proper throw and continue running. Herein the construction and arrangement is such that the loom will not be stopped when unnecessary, and the time provided for the shuttle to make its flight is increased from top to bottom center, as is now usual, to nearly a complete revolution@'. 6., from top center on one revolution to nearly top center on the next. 1n order to provide this extended time for the flight of the shuttle, the stoppage of the loom is effected on the backward stroke of the lay after it has passed front center and before reaching top center, the point at which the shuttle is picked.

Ears 10 on the front of the holding-plate N have fulcrumed between them at 11 a depending link 12, provided with an adjustable screw-stud 13, adapted to bear on a knock-off arm 14, fulcrumed on the loom-frame, rearward movement of the link acting through the stud and knock-off arm to release the shipper from its holding-notch and throw off the power in any usual manner. At its lower end the link is pivotally connected at 15 with the outer end of a slide-bar or auxiliary frog 16, supported in a guide-bearing 17 on the loom side, a spring 18 fixed at one end and at its other end secured to the slide-bar, (see Fig.

2,) normally serving to hold a shoulder 19 of the latter against the bearing 17. The rear end of the slide-bar is located quite near the frog 1, as shown in Fig. 3, and it is enlarged, as at 20, Fig. 4, to receive a transverse pin 21, on which is pivoted a block 22, having a notch 23 in its forward edge, the bottom of the block being cut away at 24, so that a slight rocking movement may take place, the abnormal position of the block being shown in Fig. 4. The knock-off arm 14 and the means to effect its operative movement, including the slide-bar or auxiliary frog, constitute one form of shipper-releasing means operated by an actuator, shown asa lateral bar 25, rigidly secured to or forming a part of the dagger, the actuator being long enough to cooperate with the notched block 22 on the backward stroke of the lay when the dagger is lowered. As shown herein, the rear edge of the actuator is beveled to surely enter the notch, provided said edge is below the top of the block. When the shuttle boxes properly, the dagger passes over the shoulder 8 of the frog-lift and the actuator 25 passes over the top of the block 22, and there will be no change in the operation of the loom. Upon engagement of the dagger with the shoulder 8,-however, the froglift is moved into the position shown in Fig. 6, and hereinbefore described, and as the dagger moves forward the actuator 25 slides over the inclined top of the block 22, tipping the latter forward into the position shown in Fig. 4 to prevent premature disengagement of dagger and frog-lift shoulder. As the actuator clears the block the latter rocks back to normal position on the slide-bar 16, bringing the upper edge of the notch 23 above the path of the beveled edge of the actuator 25 when the lay swings back. If after the described change in the position of the frog-lift and the ensuing forward movement of the frog 1 the shuttle continues into the shuttle-box before the lay moves back, the dagger will be lifted and the actuator 25 will clear the block 22, the loom continuing to run; but if the shuttle fails to so move or fails to reach a predetermined safe point in its flight prior to the back stroke of the lay then the actuator will engage the block, and the slide-bar 16 will be moved rearwardly, thereby efl'ecting-release of the shipper and consequent stoppage of IIO the loom. By a predetermined safe point in the flight of the shuttle we mean such a point as will permit the shuttle to be picked therefrom on the next pick, though such point is not the best or normal point from which the shuttle is picked. If the shuttle fails to tension when the loom continues to run the frog is provided with an upturned lug or bunter 26, located behind a part moving with the lay, such as one of the bearings 27 for the protector rock-shaft cl. hen the loom is running properly, the lug will be back of the hearing; but the forward movement of the frog to effect slackening of the warps moves the lug into position to be engaged by the part 27 as the lay swings back. Supposing the warps have been slackened and that the loom is not to be stopped, when the lay makes its backward stroke the part 27 will strike the lug 26 and slide the frog back to normal position. This acts, through link a, to swing the arm a rearward to the position shown in Fig. 1, returning the whip-roll WV to normal position and restoring the proper warp tension. Control of the let-off pawl (Z by means of the rod of, Fig. 1, is effected herein as in the patent, No. 731,622, referred to.

It will be clear from the foregoing description that if after the dagger has struck the frog-lift the shuttle has not reached a predetermined point in its flight(which point is regulated by adjustment of the parts) the actuator will operate the shipper-releasing means after the lay has passed front center and will cause release of the shipper and stoppage of the loom.

In the modified form of our invention shown in Figs. 7and 8 the means for preventing warp breakage are different, a loose or swinging reed being provided, said reed being released automatically if the'shuttle stops in the shed. The frog is omitted, as it has no function to perform; but the shipper-releasing means and its actuator, controlled by or through the shuttle, are substantially as hereinbefore described and operate as set forth on the backward stroke of the lay. The reed is pivotally mounted at its top in the reedcap 31, the bottom bar 32 of the reed entering a recess 33 at the back of the lay and abutting against the front wall of the recess under normal conditions. A horizontal rockshaft 34, mounted on the lay-swords 35, is provided with an upturned arm 36 near each end of the reed, the upper ends of the arms being enlarged at 37 to cooperate with the bottom bar 32 and normally entering the recessed part of the lay (see Fig. 1) to retain the reed in its operative position. A leafspring 38, fixed on each loom side, is adapted to cooperate with each arm 36 until the lay has reached a certain point in its forward stroke, maintaining the arms pressed against the bottom bar 32 and holding the latter in place. The rock-shaft 34 is herein shown as provided at the left-hand end with a finger 39 extended toward the front of the loom and having its free end sharpened or double-beveled at 40, a spring 41, attached at one end to the finger and at its other end to the layswords, normally acting to maintain the finger in the relative position shown in Fig. 7. WVithin the loom side a rearwardly-extended guard-plate 42 is mounted, having its rear end slightly upcurved and overhanging the normal path of movement of the front end of the finger 39,-so that when the lay is fully forward the finger will have passed under the guard-plate, and the reed will then be held positively in operative position. A front binder 43 is used in this embodiment of our invention, each binder being engaged by a binder-finger 44 on a protector-shaft 45, mounted on the lay, said shaft having thereon a rearwardly-extended depending arm 46 to cooperate with a notched arm 47, fulcrumed below the lay at 48 and having an attached and forwardly-projecting dagger 49, provided with a downturned hook or shoulder 50 at its free end. When the shuttle is properly boxed, the adjacent binderwill swing forward its cooperating binder-finger 44, rocking the shaft to lift the arm 46, and through connection with the notched arm 47 the lifting of the arm 46 will elevate the dagger 49, so that it will clear the trip 51 on the slide-bar 16 when the lay swings back. The slide-bar 16 herein is constructed as has been described, as is the rest of the shipper-releasing means; but the trip 51 is slightly different, it having a notch 52 in its front edge, and a transverse pin 53 on the slide-bar enters a segmental slot 54in the trip to limit its rocking movement on the fulcrum 55. If the shuttle fails to box properly, the dagger will not be elevated, and as the lay moves back from front center the hook will engage the notch 52 and will first lift up the trip to reduce strain and bring trip and dagger into better cooperative relation, after which the continued rearward movement of the lay will move the slide-bar 16 and operate the shipper-releasing means. The dagger 49 thus serves as the actuator for said means and is governed by or through the shuttle, as will be manifest. If the shuttle stops in the shed, it will press backward on the reed as the lay beats up and will swing back the arms 36 into dotted-line position, (see Fig. 8,) lifting the end 40 of the linger 39 before the latter reaches the guard-plate 42. As the lay completes its forward beat the reed simply swings back hehind the shuttle, which latter is caught or trapped between the fell and the reed, and the pressure of the shuttle upon the warps is so reduced that no strain or breakage can result. Inasmuch as the shuttleis not boxed, in such case the actuator or dagger will of course be lowered into operative position and will cooperate with and effect the operation of the shipper-releasing means as the lay moves back from front center.

From the description of the last-mentioned embodiment of our invention, taken in connection with Figs. 7 and 8, it will be manifest that the increased time for the shuttle to make its flight and reach a predetermined point modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having fully described our invention,what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a loom, a lay, means adapted to effect stoppage of the loom, and an actuator for said means, acting during the backward stroke of the lay, when the shuttle has failed to enter the box properly after the lay has passed front center.

2. In a loom, means adapted to throw off the power, a lay, and an actuator for said means, rendered operative by or through the shuttle upon failure thereof to reach a predetermined point in its flight during movement of the lay from bottom-center to nearly top-center position.

.3. In a loom, in combination, means to effect stoppage thereof, a lay, and an actuator for said means carried by the lay and controlled by or through the shuttle, said actuator operating on the backward stroke of the lay when the shuttle has failed to reach a predetermined point in its flight.

4:. In a loom, a shipper, releasing means therefor, a lay, and an actuator for said means, carried by the lay and operative upon movement thereof from front center only upon failure of the shuttle to reach a predetermined point in its flight after the lay has passed front center.

5. In a loom, in combination, a lay, protector mechanism, including a dagger carried by the lay, means adapted to effect the operation of astopping instrumentality, and an actuator for said means mounted on the dagger and operative on the backward stroke of the lay upon improper positioning of the shuttle as the lay approaches top center.

6. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle-box provided with a binder, a shuttle adapted to be picked when the lay is substantially at top center, means to throw off the power, and an actuator therefor controlled by or through the shuttle and rendered operative upon failure of the shuttle when picked to properly cooperate with the opposite binder before the lay reaches top center on the next pick.

7. In a loom, a shipper, releasing means therefor the operation whereof is eflected by or through the shuttle when improperly positioned in its flight into the box and an instrumentality to prevent the operation of said means before the lay has passed front center.

8. In a loom, in combination, a lay, a shuttle, means to throw off the power, an actuator therefor governed by or through the shuttle and operative when the shuttle is improperly positioned after the lay has passed front center, and automatic means to prevent Warp breakage when the shuttle stops in the shed.

9. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle, means to prevent warp breakage, operative automatically if the shuttle is improperly positioned when the lay reaches a predetermined point on its forward stroke, and independent means adapted to effect the operation of a stopping instrumentality if the shuttle fails to reach a predetermined point after the lay has passed front center.

10. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle-binder thereon, a shuttle adapted to be picked substantially at top center, means to throw off the power, and an actuator for said means, rendered operative by or through improper cooperation of the arriving shuttle and adjacent binder after the lay has passed bottom center, and acting after the lay has passed front center.

11. In a loom, a lay, protector mechanism, a shuttle adapted to be picked when the lay is substantially at top center, and means to throw off the power, by or through the operation of the protector mechanism if the arriving shuttle fails to reach a predetermined point, after .the lay has passed front center, whereby the time for the flight and boxing of the shuttle is increased to nearly a complete cycle of the lay from picking position.

12. In a loom, a warp-tension-controlling instrumentality, means operated by or through improper boxing of the shuttle to cause said instrumentality to slacken the warp on the forward strokeof the lay, means to throw off the power when the shuttle is improperly boxed after the lay has passed front center, and mechanism to restore the tension of the warps positively and automatically when said power-controlling means remains inoperative.

13. In a loom. a movable whip-roll, a lay, means operated thereby on its forward beat, upon improper boxing of the shuttle, to move the whip-roll to slacken the warps, restoring means to return the whip-roll to operative condition, a shipper, and releasing means therefor, operated on the backward stroke of the lay, upon failure of the shuttle to reach a predetermined point in its flight at such time, to stop the loom, the whip-roll being restored to operative condition and the loom continuing to run if the shuttle has reached a predetermined point when the lay passes front center.

14. In a loom, a warp-tension-controlling instrumentality, means actuated by or through the shuttle when improperly positioned to effeet the operation of said instrumentality and divert from the shuttle all strain due to such operation, a shipper, and releasing means therefor actuated after the lay has passed front center when the shuttle fails to box properly.

15. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle, an instrumentality to slacken the warps by or through the shuttle when improperly positioned as the lay beats up, means to act through said instrumentality on the backward stroke of the lay and restore the normal warp -tension, and means, operative after the lay has passed front center, to throw off the power when the shuttle fails to reach a predetermined point in its flight.

16. In a loom, in combination, alay, amovable whip-roll, protector mechanism, including a frog having a frog-lift to be engaged and tilted by the dagger when the shuttle is improperly positioned, a connection between the whip-roll and frog, to move the former positively to slacken the warps, means to cooperate with the frog-lift when tilted and divert from the protector mechanism all pressure due to operation of the frog, shipper-releasing means operative after the lay has passed front center when the shuttle has failed to reach a predetermined point in its flight, and means actuated by the lay on its backward beat to return the whip-roll automatically and positively to operative position.

17. In a loom, a lay, a dagger thereon controlled by or through the shuttle, a warp-tension-controlling instrumentality, means, including a frog, to cause said instrumentality to positively slacken the warps when the dagger engages the frog on the forward beat of the lay, due to improper boxing of the shuttle, shipper releasing means, an actuator therefor on the dagger and operative only when the shuttle has failed to reach a predetermined point in its flight after the lay has passed front center, and independent means to restore said instrumentality to normal position.

18. In a loom, a lay, protector mechanism, a shipper, and releasing means therefor actuated through the protector mechanism only after the lay has passed front center, combined with a warp-tension-controlling instrumentality operative automatically to slacken the warps if the shuttle is improperly boxed before the lay reaches front center, and means to act through said instrumentality and restore the normal tension of the warps if the shuttle reaches a predetermined point in its flight as the lay passes front center.

19. In a loom provided with a picking instrumentality and a shuttle, in combination, means for preventing warp breakage if the shuttle stops in the shed, stopping mechanism, and actuating means therefor controlled by or through the shuttle independently of the means for preventing warp breakage and operative after actuation of said means for preventing warp breakage only after the lay has passed front center and prior to the succeeding picking operation.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. DRAPER. CHARLES F. ROPER. 

